Page 153 of Halfblood Deceived

CHAPTER 33

Zeydan hid behind a grimy, dilapidated, fire-blackened wall along with Kerian, Andreas, Kamilla, Sebastian, and Aylana. The ruins they were using as cover were all that remained of a once-thriving fishing market.

All the vampires were in their shifted forms already, dressed in their black armor, and blades at the ready.

They were in Ancora, the legendary abandoned city by the sea that had been destroyed by the gargoyles nearly a century before.

Zeydan had heard rumors about how terrifying Ancora was, but seeing it and feeling it was something else.

The unnatural chill in the air made even vampires feel cold. A thick layer of fog blanketed the city and part of the ocean, so bizarre that not even Zeydan, a mist-wielder, could see through it. The reddish moonlight couldn’t fully cut through the thick gray clouds that overcast the ruins of what once had been a prosperous city.

An odd malaise gripped Zeydan’s gut. He could almost hear the screams of the gargoyles’ many victims in the frosty air.

About a century before, the gargoyles had invaded Ancora, capturing hundreds of supernaturals and their human allies, and torturing them to death. The slaughter and invasion had lasted for months. It had ended only when Kamilla, Kerian, and their human warriors had slayed the gargoyles and priests.

However, the eeriness of the charred ruins was sharply accentuated by the presence of the gargoyles that had arrived a few minutes ago.

Most of Darkwood’s borders were protected by different clans of fey and werewolves and reinforced with magical wards. But there was no magic that the cursed wrongness in Ancora didn’t devour. Which was probably why the stony fuckers had chosen Ancora as their entryway into Darkwood.

Kamilla and Kerian had been having recurring nightmares about a gargoyle invasion. They had them sporadically, since that was one of their biggest fears, of course. But this time it was different. The dreams were too vivid, especially for Kam—who had inherited part of her mother’s clairvoyance skills. And while she usually doubted her murky precognition, they had all decided it was best to be wrong and lose even more sleep, than to be right, but too late to stop it.

This was the third night they had all come to investigate Ancora.

And three seemed to be the magical number, because, on this night, a dozen gargoyles and three priests had arrived in a small ship.

Zeydan ran his thumb over the quartz pendant hanging from his neck. Aylana had magicked the necklaces that obscured their auras from the gargoyles. Without them, the stony bastards would have noticed their presence already.

The gargoyles hadn’t shifted, but they were sure to do so the second the fight started.

Sebastian gave Aylana a worried look.

Zeydan couldn’t blame him.

Aylana was one of the best warriors Zeydan had ever met, but her shifting skills had been numb after almost dying a few months back. As a counterpoint, her magic levels had increased, but she wasn’t as physically strong as a gargoyle.

A familiar tingle traveled down Zeydan’s back.

He and all the others turned to see Evan, Lex, and Mari approach. They were all wearing magicked necklaces to hide their essences from the gargoyles as well. Zeydan could feel Mari’s magic in the pendants. The werewolf twins were wearing normal clothes, which meant they intended to shift. Mari donned her black armor and boots, which somehow made her look even tinier.

“What the fuck?” Zeydan whispered.

Mari shrugged. “We knew you two knuckleheads were going to do something dangerous. And we decided to tag along.”

“How?” Andreas demanded.

“You gave yourself away when you told Luce you loved her out of nowhere, mate,” Evan said to Andreas.

Andreas frowned. “It’s not rare that I do.”

Zeydan cringed inwardly, but said nothing.

Mari had no such qualms. “Yes, it fucking is, you cold-hearted bastard.” She ignored Andreas’ glare and arched a brow at Zeydan. “You messed up when you gave me a sneaky hug this afternoon.”

Kamilla half smiled.

Kerian gave Mari a flirty grin. “Have I mentioned that I like you, Mari?”

Mari threw him a sideways glance, one corner of her mouth tilting up. “Plenty of times, but you are welcome to say it again, pretty boy.”

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